'An Evening with Barry Corbin' to benefit Meals on Wheels

May 3—Barry Corbin says he plans on continuing to act until his phone stops ringing.

He doesn't plan on retiring any time soon as he continues to keep going in his acting career.

"That's not what I do," Corbin said. "(Unless) they quit calling me. Actors don't retire, they get forced to retire. My phone hasn't quit ringing yet so I guess I'm in good shape."

The 82-year-old actor who is best known for his role of Maurice Minnifield on the series "Northern Exposure" as well as starring in the films "Urban Cowboy" and "Stir Crazy," will be doing a show next week at the Ector Theatre for a special benefit titled "An Evening with Barry Corbin."

The show will take place at 7 p.m. May 13 during the downtown Mural Fest and will be a fundraiser for Meals on Wheels of Odessa.

"I'm excited about it," Corbin said. "I'm excited about coming into this theatre. This is a great venue. I'm hoping we can fill it up."

Corbin said he'll be discussing his life while growing up and the people he's been around as well as doing a Q and A session.

"I'm going to come out and do a few little things from theater," Corbin said. "I'm going to talk about my early life and life growing up. I'm going to talk about my background and my people. I'm going to talk about my brother and try to embarrass him. Whatever comes to my mind. That's the way I do this show."

Corbin, who was born in Lamesa, began his acting career in the 1960s as a Shakespearean actor but is best remembered as playing the role of a sheriff, a military leader and other authority figures throughout his career.

It was when he was around seven years old when he realized that he wanted to be an actor after watching numerous western movies at a nearby theater growing up.

"When I was a kid, I went to a local theatre where they showed westerns and they had B-westerns on Saturday afternoons," Corbin said. "I started getting an idea when I was seven, that I can do this. I never grew up. I went to New York in my early 20s and got into classical theatre. Did Shakespeare and English things. I didn't play anyone from the south except about three times during my time in theater. It was good training ground for me. Now, I stay pretty much as close to myself as I can because that's what people pay for."

From 1990-95, he played the role of Minnifield on "Northern Exposure" in which he received an Emmy Award nomination.

He's enjoyed all of his roles and films as well as a miniseries from 1989, "Lonesome Dove."

"My favorite part was maybe 'Northern Exposure' because it covered such a long period of time and we got to explore the character," Corbin said. "(But) I don't really have a favorite role. I tell people that my next role is my favorite. It's like asking which of my kids is my favorite. I love them all."

Meals on Wheels of Odessa Executive Director Craig Stoker is excited to have Corbin help do a fundraiser for the organization.

"It's definitely great to have somebody of his celebrity coming into town to help us out," Stoker said. "We're fortunate that (CBS7's) Jay Hendricks was able to hook him up with Meals on Wheels. We're looking forward to hearing the stories and being able to relive his experience."

The event comes less than a month after Meals on Wheels of Odessa's annual signature "Mudbug" fundraiser.

"We had Mudbug and then we started working on promoting this," Stoker said. "I have no doubt that we'll be able to fill this theater. 100 percent of the proceeds are going to Meals on Wheels. It's great to have another fundraiser. We're as busy as we've ever been. It's welcome and it's great to get our name out into the community as well as our mission. I'm always for that."

For more information about the show and to purchase tickets, go to tinyurl.com/2p86kjp8.

If you go

— What: "An Evening with Barry Corbin."

— When: 7 p.m. May 13.

— Where: Ector Theatre.

— Where to purchase tickets: tinyurl.com/2p86kjp8